What Makes for a Great Solar Home?

September 24, 2015

More and more, homeowners are becoming aware of the impact they have on the environment. Just by building a house, you are changing your home’s immediate environment, increasing your carbon footprint, and generally having an effect that is not necessarily positive. At the same time, your house is your house, and you shouldn’t feel guilty about that; instead, homeowners are finding ways to move their home towards being a net positive for the environment while also saving money and improving efficiency. It’s a win-win, and nowhere is that seen more than with solar power. The idea of harnessing the power of the sun has been with us a long time, but it used to be too expensive and complicated for the average homeowner to do – but no longer! Here are three tips for going solar with your home:

Get Out of the Shade

Solar power comes from…? You got it – the sun! Direct rays of sunshine on your solar panels allow for you to get the maximum amount of electricity out of your solar panel system, yet there are many, many things that can get between your home and the sun, like your landscaping choices. Tall trees can cast shade onto your house making it difficult for you to maximize your solar power potential. Consider having your trees cut down and chunked into firewood – another great way to save energy in the future, by the way.

Benefit from the Investment in Solar

It isn’t just homeowners who are excited about solar power – the government is as well! Federal, state, and local governments offer tax credits and subsidies to homeowners who invest in solar power and other green, renewable energy systems. Depending on how much you owe in terms of taxes, you can actually get quite a large tax credit to your name – and you can even have that credit carried over to the following year! This is the sort of thing that needs to be acted on ASAP, however!

Invest In Your Future

Something to keep in mind is just how much time you’re planning to spend in your house. As in, will you still be there in 20 years? If so, then solar panels make perfect sense; they are guaranteed to last for quite some time, but that guarantee is also part of what you are paying for. If you, however, intend to be out of that house in 5-10 years, you’re paying for something that you will not get to enjoy the full value of. That doesn’t make much sense for you, does it?

As you can see, there is quite a bit to consider when integrating solar panels into your home and your life – but never forget why you had the idea in the first place! In the end, making a positive impact on the environment and being a community leader in this regard can be worth all the trouble!